Before You

“You’ve had anesthesia, and we’ve kept you pretty medicated. Trust me when I say, I won’t hold it against you.”

He was grinning now, and Honey found herself doing the same, just like when she’d met him at the DMV last week.

She had been working there since graduating high school and was responsible for making the IDs. Andrew came in for a new license, trading in his Virginia license to become a Maine resident.

Honey took the picture, and she asked him to smile as she aimed the lens at his beautiful face.

Once that part was over, most people sat in the waiting area, not approaching the counter again unless Honey called their number.

Not Andrew.

He stood not far from where she was working, striking up a conversation almost immediately. It was then that she learned he had just moved to Portland, and he was in the hunt for some fun things to do and good places to eat. So, while his photo processed, she told him about her favorite trails and the parks throughout the area and some restaurants around town. By the time she handed him his license, he had enough to keep himself busy for weeks.

Before he’d left the DMV, he had thanked her twice.

“I appreciate that,” she said.

“I went to Burnt Island Light a few days ago. Took a break from the hospital and ate my lunch there. It was beautiful.”

That was one of the lighthouses she had told him about, and she was pleased he had taken her suggestion. “I love it there.”

The monitor made a noise, and the doctor looked at it before returning his gaze to her. “That day you helped me, I had come straight from the hospital.” He sighed, his hand tugging his hair. “I wasn’t having a very good morning … until I saw you.”

Honey felt herself start to wiggle in bed, each shift a reminder that she’d just had surgery yesterday.

From him.

The thought caused her breathing to speed up.

“You went out of your way, Honey … and as someone new to this town, it meant a lot to me.” Both of his hands now rested on the railing. They were close but still not touching her.

She smiled. “I’m happy I could help.”

The doctor held her stare for several more seconds, and then he backed away from the bed. “Take care of those incisions,” he said, and then he turned and walked out.

ELEVEN

JARED

BILLIE WAS WALKING down the aisle toward the lavatory at the front of the plane, but just seconds before, she had been standing in front of me. I’d kept her close on purpose, wanting to see if the connection was as strong when we were on our feet.

It was.

And then our eyes had locked, her lips had parted, and I had seen right through her stare—what she was feeling, what she wanted. What she thought of me.

It was flattering that a woman as gorgeous and as successful as Billie Paige would be attracted to me when I was obviously much older than her. But that was all this was—an attraction.

Because Billie was off-limits.

Right before she turned to go in the restroom, my stare dropped to her ass. It was perfect, round at the bottom, dips on each side that would fit my hands just right.

I forced myself to look away, ending the tease, and glanced out the window on the other side of the plane and then behind me as drinks were being served. I listened for sounds that could distract me—the rattle of the glass liquor bottles, the soft chatter, the click from the overhead bins being opened.

It didn’t work. Every opportunity I had, I looked for her.

And each time, I wondered why.

I downed the rest of the whiskey, and I was chewing on an ice cube when she walked out. The clothes she had on hugged her body. A body that, from the front, had even more curves and arches and—

Fucking Christ, Jared.

Putting my mind there was not where it needed to be.

I focused on the ground, and when I stood this time, I kept my gaze down and took several steps back, so she wasn’t as close.

“Thank you,” she said when she entered the row.

As she went to her seat, I smelled her in the air. The scent was sweeter than vanilla, more like buttercream.

That didn’t surprise me.

“Jared …” she said after a few seconds, causing me to look up, my stare moving from her eyes to her mouth and back. “Do you—” Fear came across her face, and her hands immediately went to her ears where she pressed her palms against them.